GBR's Hannah Snellgrove says she's targeting a top ten finish
by British Sailing Team 18 Jul 2019 06:29 PDT
4-9 July 2019
Hannah Snellgrove, Laser Radial © Nick Dempsey / RYA
Britain's Hannah Snellgrove says she's targeting a top ten finish when she takes on the Laser Radial World Championships in Sakaiminato City, Japan.
With a previous highest finish of 14th at a world championships, Britain's Snellgrove sees the Japanese regatta as an opportunity to break through in to the top ranks of the class.
The regatta, which begins tomorrow, will feature the world's best including Rio 2016 champion Marit Bouwmeester and current world champion Emma Plasschaert of Belgium.
Snellgrove will be joined among the 111-boat fleet by British team mates Ali Young and George Povall.
"I'd love to break into the top ten at a worlds as I've fallen just short of that a few times, so that would be a great hurdle to overcome," said Snellgrove, 29, from Lymington, Hants.
"This is definitely the most excited I have been about a regatta for a long time, I have just completed a long stint of knee rehab following the Europeans, and time out of the boat makes you appreciate being back on the water even more.
"I also love visiting and competing in Japan, it's an amazing country. I've been in the venue training for over a week now and it has delivered a whole range of conditions, so if it keeps doing that it should be a really fun, interesting Worlds."
Former world champion Young, 32, from Wolverhampton, West Midlands, added: "It's the worlds so it's an important regatta. I'm looking forward to learning about how I execute in this environment and testing myself.
"The forecast looks pretty varied and I expect the racing to be tight, although now I've said that somebody will probably run away with it."
For Povall the worlds offers an opportunity to test herself against stiff competition and measure her progression.
"Racing is going to be tight with many sailors looking to peak for their Olympic trials," said the 24-year-old from Hickling, Norfolk, "but I'll be looking to improve on my 2018 worlds result and work on a few areas highlighted at the Euros."
Racing concludes on Wednesday July 24. Results from the regatta will be found here.
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